Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool: Player ratings as late Kerr winner pulls Blues through
Chelsea kept up the pressure on WSL title rivals Manchester United by snatching a late win over Liverpool in one of the two games in hand they on the current leaders prior to kick-off.
Sam Kerr’s scruffy late rebound finish was enough to hand the reigning champions all three points at Kingsmeadow after Emma Koivisto had put Liverpool ahead early on and Niamh Charles had cancelled out that advantage shortly before half-time.
There were just two minutes on the clock when the Finnish full-back gave the Reds an unexpected lead. Liverpool played it to the left and Natasha Dowie’s cross was narrowly missed by Missy Bo Kearns in the middle of the box, but Koivisto was there at the back to connect and score.
The visitors had come to frustrate their illustrious opponents and were happy to cede possession but still press to force sloppiness in Chelsea’s play. The Blues dominated the ball anyway, although a number of chances saw Liverpool shut the door in their face.
An early Eve Perisset free-kick was comfortably saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Faye Kirby, making her first league start of the season. Kerr, quiet for the first 15 minutes and much of the game, then thought she was through on goal but for Gemma Bonner tracking the run and superbly blocking.
Kirby then made a top save to deny Guro Reiten from the left, before an even better stop saw her push a header back across goal from Kerr to safety with her fingertips. Jessie Fleming also missed to the far post after opening her body for the side-foot.
Despite that flurry of chances, Chelsea appeared to be losing some momentum as the first half progressed and it took a back-to-basics approach from a set-piece to get them back into it. Charles, having switched from right to left in open play, met Perisset’s near post corner to flick in the leveller.
Liverpool actually had the chance to retake the lead deep into first half stoppage time when Shanice van de Sanden raced onto a defence splitting through ball. Ann-Katrin Berger got just enough on it to stop the initial shot, with Perisset then throwing herself in front of Dowie’s rebound.
More chances were few and far between in the early stages of the second half, with a concerning neck problem that had Liverpool midfielder Ceri Holland in visible distress dominating that period. But the Reds continued to snuff out chances and defend resolutely even when Chelsea did threaten, especially with a different source of danger in Pernille Harder off the bench.
As the minutes ticked by, things weren’t falling for Chelsea, symbolised when Kerr put an effort onto the roof of the stand behind the goal rather than into the net. Harder was making a positive difference, though, and fizzed a shot only narrowly wide after cutting inside from the right.
Reiten did have the ball in the net for the increasingly desperate hosts from a seemingly impossible angle on the left, but the offside flag quickly went up. It was extremely close. But Chelsea finally got their break in the closing moments when Jessie Fleming’s superb shot from the edge of the box came back off the post and Kerr, largely ineffective until then, was there to pounce.
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Chelsea player ratings (3-4-3)
GK: Ann-Katrin Berger - 6/10 - Not expected to be busy and she wasn't.
CB: Eve Perisset - 7/10 - Heavily involved in both attack and defence.
CB: Jess Carter - 6/10 - Had to be good on the ball because of Liverpool's press but was occasionally sloppy.
CB: Magdalena Eriksson (c) - 5/10 - Didn't command the situation when Liverpool threw the ball into the box to score early.
RM: Niamh Charles - 7/10 - Ended up at left-back before half-time and scored the goal that got Chelsea back into it. Saw plenty of the ball and help Chelsea build attacks.
CM: Erin Cuthbert - 6/10 - Played with her usual combative vigour. Sacrificed for more creativity.
CM: Melanie Leupolz - 6/10 - Pulled the strings in midfield but also probably gave the ball away a little too often.
LM: Jessie Fleming - 7/10 - Involved in plenty of Chelsea attacks. It was eventually her disappointment striking the post that gave Kerr the winner.
RF: Lauren James - 5/10 - Struggled to impact the game in the way fans have become used to.
ST: Sam Kerr - 7/10 - Too quiet for large periods. Missed other chances when they came and was occasionally careless, but yet popped up with the crucial late winner.
LF: Guro Reiten - 6/10 - Not her best display but still created chances for herself and others.
Substitutes
SUB: Pernille Harder (54' for James) - 7/10
SUB: Jelana Cankovic (54' for Cuthbert) - 5/10
SUB: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (80' for Leupolz) - 6/10
SUB: Sophie Ingle (88' for Fleming) - N/A
Manager
Emma Hayes - 7/10 - Switched formations in the first half and didn't wait long after half-time to use her bench in an effort to change the game. Persistence eventually paid off.
Liverpool player ratings (5-3-2)
GK: Faye Kirby - 8/10 - Looked at one stage like she wasn't going to be beaten, making save after save in the first half. Played with confidence, despite this being her WSL debut.
RB: Emma Koivisto - 8/10 - In the right place at the right time to give Liverpool a dream start and had a top game on the defensive side of the ball too.
CB: Gemma Bonner - 8/10 - Denied Kerr a certain goal with a big first half tackle and took the ball off a plate for Harder in the second 45. Unlucky to be on the losing side.
CB: Rhiannon Roberts - 7/10 - Always ready to throw herself in front of the ball.
CB: Jasmine Matthews - 7/10 - Another to make important blocks.
LB: Taylor Hinds (c) - 7/10 - Did a great job against James on that side. Took a couple of heavy knocks during the game but recovered each time.
CM: Missy Bo Kearns - 7/10 - Will be disappointed with her making for Chelsea's equaliser, yet also routinely recovered possession in open play.
CM: Miri Taylor - 7/10 - Impressed with a defensively disciplined performance.
CM: Ceri Holland - 7/10 - Put her body on the line to make Liverpool competitive, but it took its toll and she received lengthy treatment before coming off early with a neck injury.
ST: Shanice van de Sanden - 7/10 - Showcased good movement and was usually involved when Liverpool played the ball into good areas. Complemented Dowie well.
ST: Natasha Dowie - 7/10 - Rolled back the years with a vintage performance. Pressed from the front and bagged the early assist.
Substitutes
SUB: Sofie Lundgaard (60' for Holland) - 6/10
SUB: Leighanne Robe (68' for Taylor) - 6/10
SUB: Katie Stengel (68' for Van de Sanden) - 6/10
SUB: Carla Humphrey (81' for Kearns) - 6/10
Manager
Matt Beard - 8/10 - Set up to contain Chelsea and attack on the counter. It worked for a very long time, but the Reds just fell short. The enforced withdrawals of Holland and Taylor didn't help.